Internal-combustion engine.



B. READ.

INTERNAL comausnom ENGlNE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I7, I915 Patented Dec. 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I B. READ.

' INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. sums.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Patented Dec. 1918.

Continuation of application Serial No. 757,308, filed March 28, 1913.This application filed November 17,

i 1915. Serial No.61,877. I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BALFOUR READ, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Marion, inthe county of Grant and State of Indiana, have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference be ing hadto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and has for itsgeneral object the improvement of devices of this type in certainmatters of detail connected with the design, assembling, and maintenanceof the engine. More specifically the objects of the invention are theprovision of new and improved means for supporting the valve liftingdevices and for lubricating the same; the provision of means fordiminishing the noise andlshock produced by the operation of the camsand valves; the provision of new and improved means for permitting theinspection and adjustment of the valve operating devices; while furtherobjects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

Generally speaking my invention may be defined as consisting of theconstructions and combinations recited in the claims hereto annexed andillustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of thisapplication, wherein: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view takenupon the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows,a portion of the cam shaft housing being shown in side elevation; Fig. 2is a transverse sectional view of myimproved engine; Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2 and lookingdownwardly; and Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views of a modified form ofmy invention.

Describing the parts by reference character 1 represents the engine baseand 2 represents generally the upper part of the engine, the baseconsists of a suitable supporting and oil containing casting. The upperpart of the engine comprises a casing top 3 adapted to rest upon thebase or trough portion and carrying the cylinders 4 with theiraccounterments. 5 represents the main shaft of the engine and 6 thecamshaft, the latter being located above and at one side of the mainshaft and substantially in the same plane as the various inlet andoutlet valves 7-7. No distinction is made between inlet and outletvalves in the present application since they operate in the same way.The camshaft is driven from the crank shaft by suitable gearing such asshown at .8, and is inolosed in tight housing 10, here shown as carriedby brackets or standards 11 secured to the base part of the engine inthe mode described and claimed in my copending application No. 757,308,filed March 28, 1913 of which my present application is a continuation.

In the embodiments shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this housing is faced atits upper side for the reception of an elongated cover member 12 whoseupper side is formed with a plurality of hollow bosses 1313 whose upperends open into the bottom of an elopgated trough 14:. In the presentembodiment I have shown a four-cylinder engine with the cylinderscast inpairs so as to leave room for a center bearing, wherefore I have formedthe covering 12 in two parts, one for each end of the cam trough. One ofthe bosses .13 is located in alinement with each valve stem 15. y l

Slidably mounted in each boss is a rod 16, each of which has its lowerend formed tocooperate with one of the cams 17 carried by the shaft 6.In the present embodiment these rods are shown as provided with mushroomheads 18, although it is obvious that rollers or the like could equallyas well be employed. These rods are arranged one in line with each ofthe valve stems 15, and the upper end of each of the rods is providedwith an adjustable extension 19 whereby the lifting of the valve may beadjusted. The upper surface of this extension is always located belowthe top of the trough 14, and the bottom of the trough is placed inconstant communication with the interior of the housing 10 by means ofsuitable ducts 20 formed in the bosses 13. Associated with the engine isthe usual oil pump22, here shown as of the rotarytype and driven by theshaft 23 which in turn is operated from the cam shaft 6 through theagency of suitable gearing. This oil pump is connected by means f ducts24 with thehousing 10 so that the oil from the pump will be delivered.under pressure to i the interior of the housing; a part of the samepassing by way of the oil tubes 25 to different parts of the enginewhich require lubrication and the remainder passing by way of the ducts20, to the troughs l4 and overflowing again into the interior of thecrank casing. The housing 10 thus takes the place of the usual header ormanifold from which the oil tubes start.

The valves are closed by the springs 26 pressing against fixed washers27, and the throw of the cams is made greater than the lift of thevalves, the jump rods being of such a length as to have a slightlongitudinal movement when the valve is closed. The pressure of the oilin said housing serves to maintain the jump rods in close contact withthe valve stems when the valves are closed, but without impeding suchclosing movement. The submersion of the cams in the oil prevents theoccurrence of any audible blow when the elevated portion thereof comesin contact with the jump rods, the pressure of the oil serving tointerpose a cushion of the same between the cam and jump rod at allengine speeds. The length of the housing 10 being less than that of thecrank casing permits this housing, together with the cam shaft, cams,rods, etc., to be assembled in a convenient and efficient manner and theupper part of the engine applied to the base part after the completionof this assembly, whereupon it will immediately be ready to run. I haveshown each trough as formed with a removable side 29 adapted to be heldin place by the thumb nut 30, thus permitting easy access to the upperends of the rods as may be necessary to adjust their length. 40

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated a slightly modified form of myinvention wherein the oil cups of the different valve lifters are whollyseparate from each other. In' these views the cylinders, crank shaft,cam shaft, valves, stems and lifting rods carry the same numerals asbefore, but the top of the housing 10 instead of being faced for thereception of a cover member, is formed with a plurality of apertures 35for the reception of bearing sleeves 37-37 in which the rods 16 areslidably supported. The sleeves 37 are arranged, one in line with eachof the valve stems 15, and the upper end of each sleeve is surmounted byan open cup 38, the bottom whereof is placed in constant communicationwith the interior of the housing by means of a duct formed in eachsleeve. The sides of the housing 10 may, if desired, be made integral,but are preferably, as here shown, formed with removable plates 40permitting access to the interior for purposes of inspection, cleaning,and repairing. The oil cups surrounding the upper ends of the jump rodsare not essential, since the maintenance of pressure inside the housingprevents the separation of the jump rods and valve stems at this point.In fact such cups in the absence of a closed housing and an oil pressuretherein are of very little efficiency at high engine speeds, since theoil does not have sufiicient time to enter the space between thesemembers. For example, in an engine running 2500 revolutions per minuteor over l0 revolutions per second, which is not at all an excessivespeed under present day automobile practice, the length of time duringwhich a possible separation exists is less than 1/30th of a second,which is not suiiicient to permit the formation of a cushioning filmbetween the parts in an open oil cup, although the pressure existinginside the housing combined with the rolling movement of the cam willsweep a film of oil between the cam face and the jump rod.

While I have necessarily described my invention in detail I do notpropose to be limited thereby, except as the same may be positivelyincluded in the claims hereto annexed or rendered necessary by the stateof the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an internalcombustion engine, the combination, with cylinders and reciprocablevalves for said cylinders, of a cam shaft at one side of said cylinders,a housing inclosing said cam shaft, cams carried by said shaft, valveoperating members projecting into said housing and extending intoproximity to said cams, an oil pump, connections between said oil pumpand the interior of said housing, a cup surrounding the point of contactbetween each valve operating member and its valve stem, and means forconveying oil from the interior of said housing to each of said cups.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with cylinders andreciprocable valves for said cylinders, said valves being provided withstems and closing springs, of a hollow housing, a cam shaft in saidhousing, reciprocable members sleeved in the wall of said housing andcooperating with said cams, said members being also operatively relatedto said valve stems and adapted to open the same against the pres sureof said closing springs, and means for maintaining said housing full ofoil under pressure, the throw of said cams being greater than thedisplacen'lent of said valve stems.

3. In internal combustion engines, the combination with cylinders andcylinder valves, said valves having substantially vertical stems, andclosing springs whereby said stems are depressed, of containerssurrounding the lower ends of said valve stems, reciprocable meanswithin said containers and separated therefrom, said means beingadaptedto engage the ends of the said stems, mechanism for actuatingsaid reciprocable meanswhereby said valves may be opened 1 against the#oressure of said spring, the length of reel greater than that" of saidstems, and means for maintaining said containers filled with'oilm 1 4.In internal combustion engines, the combination with cylinders andcylinder valves, said valveshaving substantially ver ticalstems, andclosing springs whereby said stems aredepressed, of a cam shaft belowsaid stems, a housing inclosingsaid cam shaft, cams on sald shaftwlthinsaid hous- ,ing,*jump rodssleeved in the side of said housing and havingtheir upperends in alinement with said stems and theirlower ends inproximity tosaid cams, containers surrounding the points of engagementof said stems and rods, an oil pump, connections between said oil pumpand housing whereby said housing is maintained full of oil, and meansfor transferring'oil from I said housing to said containers.

, 5, In internal combustionengines, the

combination with acylinder andits ves said valves having substantiallyvertical stems and closing springs whereby said stems are depressed, ofa housing at one side of said cylinder, hearings in said housing, a camshaft ournaled in said bearings, cams carried by said shaft within saidhousing, sleeves carried by said housing, reciprocable rods in saidsleeves and having their upper ends in alinement with said stems andtheir lower ends in proximity to said cams, a container carried by saidsleeves and surrounding the points of engagement of said stems and rods,an oil pump and connections between said oil pump and housing wherebysaid housing is maintained full of oil, said sleeves being formed withducts for transferring oil from said housing to said con-I tainer.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a split crankcase having Icylinders carried by one part of the same and a crank shaftjournaled in the other part, the plane of separation of said crank caseparts being substantially horizontal, of

an inclosed elongated housing carried by the lower half of said case andprojecting upwardly into the upper half of the same, a lay shaftjournaled in said housing, driving connections ,between said crank shaftand lay shaft, an oil pump communicating with the lower half of saidcasing, a shaft for said pump substantially transverse to said:

lay shaft, means for driving said pump shaft, oil supplyconnectionsbetween said pump and said housing, cams carried by said layshaft within said housing, and valve lifting devices coiiperating withsaid cams. a

procation of said means being 1 "=7'. In an internal combustion engineof the puppet valve type the combination with a valve stem, of a hollowhousing a cam shaft in said housing, a jump rod sleeved in the wall ofsaid housing in alinement with said valve stem and adapted to coopcratewith said cam, andmeans for maintaming said housing full of oil under"pressure, the throw of said cam being greatem 8. In an'internalcombustion engine, the

than the lift of thevalve.

combination with cylinders and reciprocable valves for said cylinders,said valves having stems and closing springs, of a cam shaft,

a hollow oil tight housing surrounding said cam shaft, a plurality ofreciprocable valve wall of said housing in alinement with the valvestems but independent thereof, a cam carried by said shaft inoperativerelation to each of said members, and a pressure pumpoperatively connected to said housing and adapted to maintainthe samefullof oilunder pressure.

j combination, with cylinders and reciprocable valves for saidcylinders,said valves having stems, of reciprocablemembers mounted inalinement with the valve stems, cams for operating said reciprocablemembers, the

9. In aninternal combustion engine, the

operating elements slidably mounted in the possible displacement of saidreciprocable members being greater than that of said valves, a housingcarried by the engine frame and surrounding said cams and the ends ofsaid members cooperating therewith, and means for supplying liquid underpressure to saidhousing. y

10. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a valve havinga reciprocable stem, a reciprocable valve operating member spacedtherefrom, the ends of said stem and member being complementarilysurfaced, means for reciprocating said valve operating member, an oilpump driven by the engine,and an oil duct leading from said pump to apoint adjacent to the meeting ends of said member and stem whereby acontinuous supply of fluid may be maindisplacement of said reciprocablemembers being greater than that of said valves and the meeting ends ofsaid members and stems being complementarily surfaced, an oil pumpdriven by the engine, connections between said oil pump and the interiorof said housing, and means for conveying oil from the interior of saidhousing to said complementarily formed surfaces.

12. In an internal combustion engine, the

- combination with cylinders and cylinder valves, said valves havingsubstantially vertical stems and closing springs whereby said stems aredepressed, of a housing below said stems, jump rods sleeved in the sideof said housing and having their upper ends in alinement in said stems,means for reciproing and adapted to engage said stem, means forreciprocating said member, and an oil pump driven by the engine andconnected to said housing whereby the same is kept full of oil underpressure. :1

14. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a valve havinga reciprocable stem, a hollow housing opposite said stem, areciprocablevalve operating member sleeved in the wall of said housing and 3 adaptedto engage said stem, means for reciprocating said valve operatingmember, an oil pump driven by the engine whereby said housing ismaintained full of oil under pressure, and an oil passage along saidstem 4 leading from said housing to a point adjacent the meeting ends ofsaid stem and member.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses. 4

BALFOUR READ.

Witnesses:

J. S. SIssoN, R. R. WITMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patentn. Washington, D. G."

